Umbrella.



I 2/3 bQ/b E.C.KUHN.

UMBRELLA.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNEI, 1909.

934,444. Patented Sept. 21,1909.

EDWARD C. KUHN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

UMBRELLA.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

Application filed June 1, 1909. Serial No. 499,491.

:5 T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ED ARD C. KUHN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foldable umbrellas, or, in speaking with greater particularity, to telescopic ribs for special use-in connection with foldable umbrellas that are capable of being converted into reduced compass for insertion in compartments such as are provided in trunks, suit-cases or like traveling and companion outfits, or where space is limited.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple device in which a two-section telescopic rib is adapted to be slidably extended and positively held in open or strained position when the umbrella is in use and readily adapted to be withdrawn from extended position forconversion into limited or reduced compass.

These objects are attained by the device illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation showing my improvement in using position; Fig. 2, a fragmentary elevation of my improvement on a larger scale than that seen in Fig. 1, in fact, larger than in actual use; Fig. 3, a longitudinal, fragmentary section of my invention (on line a, a, Fig. 4,) showing the two members of the telescopic rib and the stayrod in position ready for either the telescopic operation of the rib for folding the umbrella, or ready for the operation of sliding the runner along the umbrella rod and raising or distending the cover; Fig. &, an elevation of Fig. 3 looking from the right side thereof; Fig. 5, a fragmentary elevation of the inner or pivot end of the stay-rod, taken on its channeled side; Fig. 6, a fragmentary sectional elevation of the umbrella rod, showing it as a foldable one and as broken off both about midlength and at the handle end thereof; Fig. 7, a fragmentary, sectional elevation, showing the outer or tip end of the umbrella rod, including a disclosure of the spring-actuated device used in connection with the longitudinally-extended or telescopic tip; Fig. 8, a fragmentary elevation showing parts of the two telescopic sections of the rib and, also, showing the inner jaw portion of the carriersleeve of the stay-rod, such jaw portion being in engagement with the outwardlyeXtending block at the lower end of the upper rib-member; Fig. 9, a vertical section taken on the dotted-line b, I), of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10, a cross-section taken on the dottedline 00, m of Fig. 8, to more clearly show the outwardly-extending block at the lower end of the upper rib member and its frictionalengagement with the said jaws on the carrier-sleeve of the stay-rod.

In these views, 1 indicates, generally speaking, the umbrella rod having the customary handle or grip 2 and the tip 3, said rod being preferably of a foldable nature as shown at l, and said tip being preferably of a telescopic nature, as provided by the spring-nose 5, (as best seen in Figs. 6 and 7). The foldable rod and tip features are both desirable and somewhat essen tial in producing an umbrella capable of reduction in lengthwise compass, but I do not desire herein to limit myself to any particular form of foldable handle or tip that may vary from the forms of both devices seen in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. Neither will I go into any description in detail of the foldable elements of said rod and tip herein, except to say that those features are reserved for a separate future application.

The special feature of the invention herein is connected with the rib and stay-rod, said rib being made up of two telescopic sections 6 and 7, section 6 being the upper or inner one and section 7 being the lower or outer one and said section 7 telescoping or sliding endwise over said section 6. The inner or upper end of the section 6 is pivotally attached, as customary, to the notched ring 8 at the upper end of the umbrella rod.

and the customary tip 9 is provided at the outer or lower end of the section 7.

10 indicates a split band or clip forming a guide-connection for the outer end of the upper section 6. This band or clip is passed around the lower section 7 and has its inner ends 10, 10 bent into rigid contact with the channeled outer end of the upper section 6 and a block 11 is rigidly secured within the channel of the upper section 6 adjacent said clip ends 10 and the outer edge of this block extends slightly beyond the plane of the rib-section 6, as shown at 11", the purpose of which will be presently hereinafter described. A stop-block comprising an abutment 12 is provided in the channel of the rib-section 6 a short distance upward from the block 11 and has its outer face flush with the channeled edges of said rib-section 6, the purpose of which abutment will also be hereinafter described.

13 indicates the customary brace or stayrod used as a stretcher in distending the main rib composed of the sections (3 and '7. The inner end of the brace is pivotally connected as customary to the runner 14 and its outer end is provided with a pair of spaced arms or extensions 15 that have suitable alined eyes or openings therein.

16 indicates a carrier-sleeve rigidly secured to the upper or inner end of the lower rib-section 7 and split longitudinally on its inner side that laps over the channeled edges of the telescoping rib-sections 6 and 7. The inwardly-turned edges of the split portion of the carrier-sleeve are slightly spaced apart and form jaws 17, 17 that are preferably resilient and that are best shown in Fig. 8. These jaws 17, 17 are inserted for frictional-engagement with the outwardlyextending portion 11 of the block 11 when the latter is brought under the spring-jaws in the act of extending the rib-sections 6 and 7 for use in the raised position of the umbrella cover. Said frictional-engagement of the block 11 with the jaws 17 is best shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 and is important in connection with the operation of stretching the rib and cover. Lugs or cars 18 are provided on the two adjacent edges of the split portion of the carrier-sleeve 16 and are duly spaced apart, a transverse pin 19 being provided in said lugs and engaging the eyes in the outer fork ends or arms 15 of the stay-rod. Said transverse pin 19 is duly riveted at its opposite ends, as best shown in Fig. 41, and forms the shaft on which the stay-rod is pivotally connected to the traveling or sliding lower rib-member 7.

20 indicates an outwardly-extending arm at the outer end of the stay-rod. This arm 20 projects longitudinally from the channeled portion of the stay or stretcher, parallel to the forkends 15 thereof, as best seen in Fig. 5, and the pivot-pin 19 passes through a hole pierced in the outer portion of said arm 20. It will be seen, in Fig. 5 especially, that the arm 20 projects beyond the outer ends of the forks 15 of the stay-rod and a lateral-arm 21 projects from said outwardlyextended end of the arm 20, as best seen in Fig. 3. \Vhen the two sections 6 and 7 of the rib are in extended or stretched position, with the stay-rod in the position seen in Fig. 1, the said arm 20 and its lateral-arm 21 extend into the channel of the upper ribsection 6 and form an obstruction against which the stop-block or abutment 12 contacts to thereby prevent the sections (5 and 7 of the rib sliding endwise. They also prevent such sections 6 and 7 sliding endwise until the runner 14c has been brought downward along the umbrella rod 1 to its lowermost position and thereby bringing the stay-rod and the lower or outer rib-member 7 parallel to each other, at which time said lower rib-member 7 can be slid endwise over the rib section 6 for the closed and folded position of the umbrella.

In the operation of the device, for unfold- I mg and then raising the umbrella for use,

the said lower rib-member 7 is drawn outward or lengthwise along the rib-member (3 until the outwaidly-extending block 11 ission of the rib is progressing, the frictionalengagement of the outwardly extending block 11 with the spring-jaws 17 provides a temporary hold for the two sections of the rib and prevents their telescoping action dur ing the entire movement of the stay-rod, both to and from bracing position, and, when the stayrod has come into full bracing position, then the longitudinal extension 20 effectually prevents the telescoping of the two sections of the rib, as the abutment 12 in the upper section cannot now be passed in an attempt to force the lower rib-member along the upper rib-member.

It will be understood that it is not absolutely necessary to have the lateral-arm 21 at the end of the extension-arm 20 of the stay-rod or brace, for the reason that the engagement of the extension-arm can be effected with the abutment or stop-block 12 without it, but said lateral-arm is useful in preventing lateral motion of the stay-rod or brace and relieves the pivot 19 of torsional strain.

It will be seen, in the operation of my device, that the lower ribmember telescopes along the upper rib-member, the latter being longitudinally stationary.

I claim:

1. A telescoping rib for umbrellas comprising an upper rib member, a lower rib member telescoping lengthwise within said upper rib-member, a carrier-sleeve rigidly secured to the upper or inner end of the lower rib-member, a stay-rod or brace pivotallyconnected at one end to said carrier sleeve, an extension-arm provided at the outer end of said stay-rod and engaging the channel of the upper rib-member when the two rib-members are in extended position, an outwardly-extending channel block secured in the outer end of said upper rib-member and projecting slightly beyond the plane of the ribmember, spring-jaws formed on said carrier-sleeve and adapted for engagement with said outwardly-extended block and an abutment or stop-block mounted in the channel of said upper rib-member and adapted for engagement with said extension-arm on the stay-rod or brace when the two rib-members are in extended position.

2. A telescoping rib for umbrellas comprising an upper rib-member, a lower ribmeniber telescoping lengthwise within said upper rib-member, a carrier-sleeve rigidly secured to the upper or inner end of the lower rib-member, a stay-rod or brace pivotally-connected at one end to said carriersleeve, an extension-arm provided at the outer end of said stay-rod or brace and having a lateral extension engaging the channel of the upper rib-member when the two ribmembers are in extended position, an outwardly-extending channel-block secured in the outer end of said upper rib-member spring-jaws on said carrier-sleeve adapted for engagement with said outwardly-extended channel-block and an abutment or stop-block arranged in the channel of said upper rib-member and adapted for engagement with the extension-arm and its lateralarm on the stay-rod when the two rib-members are in extended position.

EDWARD C. KUHN. \Vitnesses:

JOHN ELIAS JONES, NORMA KEIsER. 

